A Moment of Eternity
by vsyo-vremya
Summary: If you had the chance to save the world, could you?
1. Prologue

**This story is the solo version of _'Red and Blue'_ ; the story I was writing with user Aneki Okumura. Circumstances have dictated that our collaboration is now terminated and thus I have decided to carry on individually. The Prologue and all the "Red" parts of the story that appear in _'Red and Blue'_ were written solely by me and as such I will be posting only the "Red" portions here and will not be including any Blue Exorcist - the "Blue" parts. **

* * *

There are legends that speak of an unknowable power; a power beyond time and space that both Man and Monster would tremble before. All would kneel in the wake of such incredible might. This power – untouched by eternity – exists in a world between worlds. There is said to be one that binds and balances the realms of light and dark, keeps dimensions separate and maintains the fissure between one universe and the next, but there's an energy beginning to rise - a force that could destroy the balance and bleed the very universe dry.

Stories have been passed down through the centuries of one entity – one single, solitary being – that could bring an end to the disruption. A lone warrior moving the dimensions, crossing the threshold of time and space to bind together what has been broken and restore balance to the worlds collided. With strength untold, they would tame the shattered tempest of existence and heal the wound in the flesh of reality. Their power combined with the prayers of a millennia, they would save life itself from abject annihilation.

As these tales fell through the generations they became little more than myths; folly passed on to those who would care to listen. And the more they fell, the less momentum they gathered. But soon – very soon – they would unfold into something very true and very, very real.


	2. Chapter I

It was a calm, sunny day. The few clouds there were in the sky rolled back unassumingly. Sinnoh was known for its glorious weather. In the summer, anyway. Taking a day off from his usual regime, Red had decided to explore the region a little more as there were still many places he had yet to go. Essentials packed and his partners fastened, he made his way diligently towards Eterna City. His stay in Jubilife had been quite the experience and his battle in Oreburgh was still fresh in his mind; Sinnoh was definitely living up to its expectations. Passing through Floaroma Town, he stopped walking and stared up at the precipice that towered over all the land: Mount Coronet. Red wondered what it would be like to stand atop the mountain, looking down upon the world below. He was certainly no stranger to summits, but - looking to the ground - the thought of it sent a wave of poignant nostalgia through him. After a moment he shook it off, looked back to the peak, smiled toward the sky and pressed onwards hoping to make it to Eterna City before nightfall.

Route 205 proved to be more difficult to navigate than he had anticipated. There was no defined path through the plethora of crags and water-filled cwms so he ended up having to rely on Starly to find some way through from above. When nothing could be found, he recalled Starly and sat on the ground defiantly. Head in his hands frustrated, he began to hear footsteps approaching him. Turning around to see who it was, he was greeted by a tall man carrying a large rucksack. He seemed just as surprised to see Red as Red was to see him. Jumping at the chance, Red asked the man if he knew how to get to Eterna City from here. "Sure", he replied. "If you can fly there then that'd be the easiest way to do it, but if not you'll have to take the path through Eterna Forest; that's where I've just come from". Red groaned. Another forest? After braving Petalburg in Hoenn and Viridian back home he wasn't too keen on attempting another jungle run, but it appeared he had no choice. After asking the hiker which way it was, he was soon off again, blazing the trail. The sun was beginning to fall and he didn't want to be traversing a forest in the dead of night; he wasn't terribly familiar with the Sinnoh wildlife and he didn't fancy taking any chances either. Half running, he came to the outskirts of Eterna Forest. It didn't seem like too much of a trek, but he'd said that about Viridian Forest too and he was lost in there for three days. Taking a deep breath and remembering the hikers instructions, he proceeded into the forest, determined to clear the forest as fast as he could.

As he walked deeper into the undergrowth, he couldn't help but feel more than slightly nervous about how quiet it was – he was sure someone would be sending his cap home to his mother in a box. With a hand around one of his capsules, he continued as the hiker directed: Straight ahead and a right turn at the lake. _"There's only one lake so you can't go wrong"_ he said, mimicking the hikers words. Red didn't know how long he'd be walking at this point but he was damn sure he hadn't seen any lake. With nothing else to go on he had no choice but to hope he hadn't been given a bum steer. Pressing through the thicket, he was distressed to notice light beginning to fade. Either the forest was increasing in density or the sun was finally setting. In any case, he needed to leave and quickly. Breaking into a sprint he continued forwards in the hope that some body of water would present itself soon, but it was a hope that was rapidly evaporating. Then suddenly he noticed the trees beginning to loosen and light returning to his way. _'There it is!'_ He thought with relief, eyeing the lake ahead of him with glee. _'This forest must be huge! It's taken me an eternity to get here!'_ At least the hiker wasn't lying. Coming to the edge of the water he stopped for a moment to catch his breath. It wasn't as dark as he thought it was so he was making good time. But he wasn't in the clear yet - he still had to find a way out. Taking several deep breaths, he faced the lake, turned right and then staunchly made his way east out of the forest, or so he hoped. Fortunately for Red the journey out was nowhere near as treacherous as the journey in and he was kissing the northern end of Route 205 by twilight. Exiting the forest and making his way towards the western entrance to Eterna City, he directed himself to the large, imposing building in the centre of town where he could finally rest in wait for the morning.


	3. Chapter II

It could have been the morning. It could have been late afternoon. Hell, it could even have been the middle of September; Red's rising disorientation threw his grasp of time out the window. His trip through Eterna Forest had really exhausted him to the point he'd slept through nearly the whole day by the time he'd woken up. He looked at the clock; half past five – he cursed. He'd wanted to challenge the Eterna Gym today but now it seemed that idea had been defenestrated too. Still, he thought there might still be a chance as the sun was gleaming as brightly as summer would dictate. Getting to his feet, he walked across the room and into the adjoining bathroom. ' _I suppose my reputation does have some perks'_ he mused, _'En suite hotel room for two-thirds of the price? Thank you Championship!'_ He smiled into the bathroom mirror.  
Turning the tap on, he let the water run for a few moments until it heated up, during which time he walked back into his room to retrieve his toothbrush from his backpack. After wrestling with the contents he returned back to the bathroom, soaked the toothbrush, applied the 'complimentary' toothpaste and proceeded to clean his teeth – not the most glamourous of tasks. Following that, he turned his attention to the bathtub big enough to fit a Snorlax and began running the shower. Allowing the water to reach an optimal temperature, he interrupted the stream with his hand to test it. Satisfied, he removed his clothes, threw them untidily into a pile on the bathroom floor and then stepped into the shower. Red welcomed the warmth of the water with eager anticipation. He allowed it to fall over him, invigourating his body. He stood there, greedily enjoying every second the water touched him. _'I really needed this'_ , he thought. He felt his exploits in the forest wash from his system and he watched as the water drained away. _'It's a shame I have to leave'_ , he continued, _'I could stand here forever...'_ He let his thoughts wander for a while before he did anything else – he wanted to make the most of it. He didn't know how much time had passed before he phased back into reality, but then he remembered that he wanted to see if he could catch the Gym before it closed. Grabbing some body wash, he hastily lathered it up and rubbed it on as much of his skin as quickly as he could, disregarding his usual efficiency in attempt to not lose more time than he already had. He washed his hair, rinsed himself off, pulled back the curtain and nearly concussed himself falling out of the shower.

Now racing against the clock, Red attacked himself with towels from the wardrobe. He looked out the window and saw that the light was slowly approaching dusk, so he moved with mathematical precision. Drying himself with haste, he searched for his clothes. _'Damn!'_ He screamed internally. His clothes were where he threw them - still in a pile on the bathroom floor - and he knew he didn't have the time to launder them. Defeated, he dragged himself to his bed and lay down with a look of abject dejection: He wasn't going to make it. Lying there compunctious, he surrendered to the situation, hating himself for his own ineptitude. _'I guess it's not the end of the world'_ he thought, ' _There's always tomorrow'._ With that in mind, he figured he could take his time with things now: He could wash his clothes, do some training. Hell, he might even take another shower - the possibilities were endless.  
He knew before anything that he'd need something to wear for tomorrow, so he stood up and walked towards the bathroom to collect his apparel. Still in his birthday suit, he searched his belongings for pyjamas; _'I packed them, didn't I? I'm sure I did'._ It was times like this he really appreciated his mother. ' _If I haven't then I'm buggered! I need something to wear!'_ He was beginning to get flustered. As he excavated his rucksack, he lost hope as everything he carried with him was strewn across the floor. He cursed. _'I'm gonna have to buy a pair now! This isn't funny!'_ he silently yelled. Resigning to his stupidity, he walked to the bathroom in search of a dressing gown. ' _How many times have I done this now?'_ he asked himself walking into the bathroom; ' _I've been in and out more times than a Diglett!"._ He blamed the forest.  
Seeing what he needed, he removed it from the hook and wrapped it around himself _– 'Soft'_ he thought _._ Walking back into the main room again, he directed himself to the window. He watched as the sun set behind the Mount Coronet; it was a truly majestic sight. A flock of Pidgey flew past as he looked out; ' _Odd'_ he thought, _'Pidgey aren't native to Sinnoh...'_ Then he remembered; it was Winter in Kanto and Johto right now – they must have migrated. He observed the last light of the day fall behind the mountain and he felt somewhat privileged to have witnessed it. A smile crept across his face at the thought of what Green might be doing now – certainly not admiring the magnificence of nature, that's for sure. He wondered where Green was and what he was doing. It had been many months since their last encounter, Red woefully lamented. _'I wonder if he thinks of me, still. If he even remembers...'_ Red could never forget...

Absorbed in his memories, he looked absentmindedly at the clock and made a note of the time. Deciding he might as well get some air today anyway, he upped, collected his clothes and made his way out the room and followed the signs to the hotel laundrette. Fortunately for him it was on the same floor and so he made his way there proficiently. After studying the directions for wash on the wall he cautiously loaded his clothes into the drum and continued as they instructed, adding washing powder, turning the dials to the correct settings and trying his best not to hit the it with something heavy. As he watched the machine activate, he wondered how his mother did this so adeptly every week: he nearly had a nervous breakdown doing one ensemble. He missed her again. Not knowing how long it would take, he walked back to his room to retrieve one of his Pokéballs; Starly could keep him company while he waited. Returning to the laundry room, he released Starly who shot out of the contraption gleefully, landing squarely on the windowsill. "Starlyyyyyyy" he called joyously. "Hey, you", Red offered, "How are you?". "Star, Star!" Starly replied with a look of content. "That's good", he returned. "I thought I could use some company while I wait for my clothes to wash 'cos I don't know how long I'm gonna be here" Red explained with a smile. Starly cooed in acceptance. The two whiled away the time by Starly flying around the room doing acrobatic tricks, much to Red's amusement. He was glad he caught Starly. He was the first Pokémon Red had encountered when he arrived in Sinnoh so he thought he'd commemorate the occasion. He called his Magneton that he had brought with him from Kanto to battle it, using Thunder Wave and Supersonic to weaken it. Red threw the Pokéball and caught him there and then – Starly had proved invaluable to him since; scouting locations from above and providing fruit from too-high-to-reach trees. He loved Starly and he was sure Starly loved him too; he was glad to have a new friend. He would have used him in his battle against Roark, but he'd learned his lesson about battling Rock-types with Flying-types a long time ago, so decided on his Vaporeon instead.  
Between watching Starly and reminiscing, Red hadn't noticed the washing machine had been blinking for the last ten minutes. When Starly eventually stopped circling the room he looked the machine and realised the cycle was finished. Reading the wall again, he changed the settings to 'Spin-Dry' and reactivated the machine. Sitting back down, he offered Starly his arm, to which the bird happily landed upon. Red began stroking Starly's crest, Starly closing his eyes in contentment. _'I wonder what Sinnoh's gonna bring us'_ he thought; _'It's gonna be tough act, beating Hoenn'_ . Having come to Sinnoh from Hoenn, his exploits there were still fresh in his mind.

Lounging on the beaches of Mossdeep City, he was startled when a sudden and torrential downpour began. He swiftly gathered his belongings, called out to his Pokémon and started to run to shelter, but no sooner had he done that did the sun start shining again, only brighter it seemed. Confused, he was about to replace himself on the sand when the rain started once more. Calling his partners again, he continued towards the beach house to escape the rain, but for the second time the rain stopped and the sun shone down. He looked up in the hope of maybe seeing an explanation, but there were only clouds. Red then looked out to sea, observing the volcanic structure that pierced the horizon. There were massive storm clouds radiating from the peak of the volcano, interspersed with violent shards of sunlight. ' _What in the world...'_ he pondered contortedly. He looked around and everyone else seemed to be sporting the same thought: What the Hell was going on in Sootopolis City?  
Both he and all the other spectators seemed oblivious to the constant rain and shine that continued in sporadic earnest as they witnessed the incredible phenomenon transpiring above the island city.  
What occurred there, Red will never know, but he could remember an emerald-coloured entity descended from the sky and put an end to the convolution. Whether it was a Pokémon or not, Red couldn't attest; he was only sure that it was the most bizarre and spectacular thing he had ever had the fortune to behold.

Red's reminiscence was interrupted by the shrill beeping of the machine – Starly jumped concurrently. He walked over to it and opened the door; a fragrant aroma of Pecha berries emanated from the drum. Sticking his hands in and pulling out his garb, he made his way back to his hotel room with Starly in tow.

No longer in a hurry, Red took his time. He slipped off the dressing gown and poured himself into his now clean clothing. _'I really need to buy some new clothes'_ he mused. He looked at the clock; five past seven; _'Not as late as I thought'_. Starly - perched on a chair - cooed wistfully as he watched Red fumble about the room collecting his belongings and stuffing them haphazardly into his backpack.  
Satisfied that his bag wasn't going to burst, he recalled Starly and made his way out of the room and down several flights of stairs to the Reception. Walking up to the counter, he addressed the clerk; "Excuse me, I'd like to suspend my room, please". The clerk looked at him, "And what room is that?" she asked. "Room 151. Eighth floor". "Ah yes! Red, right? You're the Kanto Champion?", "Y-yes" Red answered, embarrassed. "And how long would you like to suspend your room for?" the clerk asked. "Oh, just one night please. For now, anyway. I'm not sure when I'll be back". She eyed him again, "Why? Where are you going?". "I'm gonna explore, you know? See the sights? This is my first time in the Sinnoh region so I want to get to know the place" Red replied with a smile. "Oh! Really?!" the clerk beamed in surprise. "Then you must go to the Timespace Festival! It's a must-see!" she enthused. "Sounds like fun! But I was gonna check out the Eterna Gym..." Red trailed off. "There's no point in that" she offered, "It's closed for renovation. It opens again in a week". Red cried internally; he pressured himself for nothing. Seeing no other option, he turned to the clerk; "So where's this festival then?" . "It's in Celestic Town" she replied. "And how do I get there?" Red enquired. "Oh. Well the easiest way would be to pass through Hearthome City and Solaceon Town, but that's at least a three-day journey and the festival's the day after tomorrow". Red frowned; "Well that's a shame. It would have been interesting to go..."  
"Well there is a faster way. Barely a day's trip if you're up to it" the clerk offered uneasily. "And what's that?" Red asked, returning suspicion. "You can walk through the mountain". Red's eyes widened. "The mountain?" he repeated, "That _giant_ mountain? You can _walk_ though there?". "Mount Coronet, yes. It's popular with hikers and such. If you know where you're going it's a fairly smooth journey, but the inside is a labyrinth by all accounts. People have been said to never return from its depths..." Red was sure she was just trying to spook him, but he didn't let that perturb him. "Alright then," he said resolutely, "How do I get there from here?" The clerk stared at him. "What? You mean you're actually going to try and _navigate_ Mount Coronet? I thought you said this was you first time here?!" she blurted. "Yeah, it is" Red said, "But what's a journey without a little adventure?" he winked. Sensing his resolution, she proceeded to explain the route: "You head north out of the city then turn right onto Route 211. Keep going and you'll eventually come across a cave entrance. It should be marked so you can't mistake it. There are many paths through it, you see, so each one is marked. You're looking for the one that reads "Eterna City – Celestic Town". If you're not sure, try and find someone to help you out". Taking on board her instructions and paying for his stay, he thanked her and made his way out of the hotel and north of Eterna. The twilight draped the city in a serene glow. Red continued on until he came to the northern entrance of the city, taking the right terminus and eventually coming face-to-face with the colossal structure that cleaved Sinnoh in two: Mount Coronet.


	4. Chapter III

Red gazed up at the mountain, the peak disappearing into the clouds. The sunset made it appear almost crowned in the twilit haze, illuminating it against the sky. It seemed so much bigger now, he thought – Mount Silver would be dwarfed in comparison.  
Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for the bowels of the cave. Thinking ahead, he removed a Pokéball from his belt and released the beast within. In a dazzling flash, a great red dragon appeared before him with a fire that lit up the dusky fog. "I need your light", Red addressed his Pokémon, "I don't think I could get through here without it". His Pokémon eyed him nervously – he didn't like the cold. "Come on, Charizard!" Red implored. "It's not that bad! You breathe fire! You're hardly gonna freeze!" Charizard grunted, Red returned the gesture. "Listen, if we make it through in one piece I promise you won't have to do it again. And I'll give you a few Pokéblocks. The orange ones". Charizard thought about it for a moment then grumbled in acceptance. "Great!" Red said triumphantly, "Let's go!" And with that, the two turned to the cave entrance and strode into the dark of the mountain. ****

Red continued his way through the caverns of Mt. Coronet, Charizard's flame growing ever brighter the darker the cave became. Battling against the cold of the mountain, his traversing wasn't helped by the fog that hung in the air without ease. It was then that he was surprised by the call of someone not too far away from where he stood. "Hey!" The voice reverberated endlessly. "You there with the light!" Red could only assume it was directed at him. The unfortunate thing was that due to the combination of darkness and fog – even with Charizard's light – Red could barely see ahead of himself. However footsteps began approaching him and so he stood stock still, apprehensively waiting to greet whoever it was who called him.  
A few moments passed and suddenly there was a young man standing a few feet away from him, taking Red by surprise. "It's a bit late to be trawling through the mountain, don't you think?" the stranger asked. "I'm just trying to get to Celestic Town. I was told this was the quickest way" Red replied in tandem. "Yeah, that's true," the boy said, "But you're not gonna get there anytime soon. You're going the wrong way, for one". Red's face dropped and the boy laughed. "Don't worry, I'll help you out" the boy said. Red was about to thank him but was interrupted before he could: "Under one condition" the boy grinned. "What's that?" Red asked nervously. "You have to battle with me" the boy answered. Red sighed. He couldn't be bothered battling right now, but it seemed he had little choice, other than wandering around in the cold and dark in the hope that he'll see daylight again. Red looked at Charizard who exhaled impatiently and then back at the boy "Fine", he sighed again, defeated. "Great!" the boy exclaimed. "I'm Skyler, by the way. Thought you should know", the boy smiled. "Red. Nice to meet you". And with that, the two positioned themselves for battle.

"Two on two alright?" Skyler asked. "Yeah, that's fine by me" Red called back. "Great. Let's get this started!" Skyler called enthusiastically. Removing a Pokéball from his belt, Skyler called his first Pokémon: "Go, Drapion!" A mighty scorpion shot out of the capsule, landing squarely on the ground before Skyler. Red observed the Pokémon, its draconic, serpentine body writhing restlessly.  
Facing Skyler, Red closed his eyes and began to focus himself. Purging all distractions from his mind, he opened his eyes and looked directly at his opponent. The transformation that came over Red was instantaneous, expert and with sociopathic precision. His face hardened into an expressionless void, relaxing his body and tempering his senses. Then with seasoned aptitude befitting the Kanto Champion, he commanded his Pokémon.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!" Red instructed, Charizard loosing a raging stream of scarlet fire at his Trainer's direction. Skyler didn't have time to react. Tearing through the space between them, the flames struck Drapion with brutal force and brought it down with one hit. Skyler only stared with an expression of awe, shock and devastation. Moments passed and Skyler withdrew his Drapion. "Not bad", he jousted. "You caught me off guard, but not bad". Red didn't falter. "But let's see how you fair against this" he finished as he threw another Pokéball. In a flash of light, a Kingdra appeared where Drapion previously stood. Without missing a beat, Red commanded Charizard once more: "Dragon Pulse". With that, the battle was over. Even with Skyler's desperate cry of _"Hydro Pump!"_ , Charizard effortlessly cut through Kingdra's attack with a powerful blast of draconian energy, vaporizing the stream and shaking the very ground beneath them as it hit. The dust settled and the damage was done. Kingdra lay unmoving on the cave floor. Skyler looked in horror at the abject annihilation of his Pokémon, eyeing Red, his face contorted into an almost terrified expression.

As quickly as he metamorphosed, Red returned to his regular self. "Good match!" he said gleefully. Skyler remained motionless - Red observed him with concern. "Are you okay?" he enquired, moving towards the boy. Skyler began stuttering in shock, "W-wh-... What the... I've never- I mean, I didn't..." Red spoke again; "Hey, it's not the end of the world. You win some, you lose some. That's the game". Skyler looked at Red. "But I didn't even get an attack in! I barely had time to _breathe_ and you wiped out my Pokémon! _With one hit!_ How can you be so powerful?!" he gaped in awe, recalling his unconscious Kingdra. "Well I've been training Pokémon for a few years now and I guess I just got good at it" Red joked. "Besides, it's got nothing to do with power. Charizard and I have been battling since the beginning so we just sorta _get_ each other. Isn't that right?" he turned toward his Pokémon and Charizard concurred with a cheerful grunt. "But it was _so powerful!_ " Skyler continued, "How did you _do_ that?!" Red just smiled, "Years of practice". Skyler smiled too, then began laughing heartily. "What's funny?" Red enquired. "Nothing" Skyler answered, "I just wasn't expecting that". Red let out a sizeable snort. "Come on", Skyler motioned, standing up "I said I'd show you the way out, didn't I? A deal's a deal". And with that, Skyler led Red northwards. With Charizard in tow, the two continued until making a right turn at a rather impressive collection of rock formations.


	5. Chapter IV

Red and Skyler pushed through the mountain with relative ease due to Skyler's practically professional knowledge of its interior. Once or twice, however, Red wondered if Skyler actually knew where he was going, but he imagined that Skyler wouldn't deliberately try to get them both lost. Nevertheless, Red remained uneasy. Whilst he was not unfamiliar to blanketed chasms himself, he didn't much fancy the idea of not only being in a desperately dark and unfamiliar location, but having to rely on someone he just met for guidance. In an attempt to quell his apprehension, Red had decided to make conversation with Skyler – a sensible choice given the unwelcoming and borderline threatening void of Mount Coronet. "So do you make this journey often, then?" Red enquired tentatively, the cold beginning to grip him slightly. "It depends, really", Skyler replied, "on where I wanna go or what I wanna do". "Well what brought you to this... ungodly place tonight?" Red enquired further, looking around; Charizard's flame illuminating the damp on the rock and stone that flanked on every side. "Training", Skyler answered, "This place is actually great for it. It sharpens the senses and helps you become more in-tune to what's around you", he explained. "Also, there are loads of strong Pokémon that make Mount Coronet their home, so it's good for both mental and physical refinement". Red listened with intrigue. He knew exactly what Skyler meant because Red had spent a very long time honing his own skills atop Mount Silver in Johto; all the years spent there sharpening him into the battling machine he was today. _'You're practically a weapon!'_ Red recalled Green's words to him before they went their separate ways.

"So what made you want to risk never seeing anyone ever again?" Skyler asked jokingly, breaking Red away from his thoughts. "Oh, erm, I was going to Celestic Town. I was told there was something going on – a Timespace Festival or something", Red answered, regretting his decision to make this journey. "Oooh!" Skyler cooed. "You'll really enjoy that! It happens every year during the summer solstice and it lasts three days! People from all over the region come to take part in it!" Skyler enthused, but Red wasn't feeling all too cheerful to fully return Skyler's fervour. The cold was cutting him now; he could feel it in his bones. Despite the length of time he'd ambled atop the icy peak of Mount Silver, he was very suddenly overcome with wracking shivers. Skyler noticed this and immediately came to Red's aid – in one deft move Skyler unhooked another Pokéball and called the beast within. With a flash and a thud, there appeared to the untrained eye a burning effigy. "Do the thing", Skyler aksed of his Pokémon, and suddenly there was an eruption of light and heat. "Marrrr!" Magmar called out. "Thanks, buddy!" Skyler returned. Red's body began to reinvigorate, the warmth of Magmar's Lava Plume seeping into his pores. "Why didn't you say you were freezing back here?" Skyler asked Red with concern. "Well I wasn't for the most part!" Red shot back defensively, "I've been in caves before. I just wasn't expecting this place to be like a Lapras' breath! Why is it so damn cold in here?!" Red finished with disbelief. "OH!" Skyler exclaimed, as though he'd forgotten a major plot point. "Because there's an underground lake!" he enlightened. "It stretches practically the entire length of the mountain and it causes awfully low temperatures here where we are" Skyler explained further. "I'm not quite sure how the physics work, but that's what our geologists say", he finished with a weak chuckle. Red eyed Skyler with concern and mild annoyance. "So why aren't you freezing your Pokéballs off then?" Red half-demanded. Skyler grinned; "Thermal clothing", he answered, unzipping his jacket slightly to show Red the inner padding. Red swore, Skyler laughed. "But I have to ask, though", Skyler said, "Why didn't you just ask your Charizard there to warm you up a bit? Seems obvious to me". Red eyed Skyler again. "Because Charizard only has two settings", Red began, "Fireside glow or nuclear fallout". Skyler laughed again, but a slight nervousness crossed his face and Red caught it. "What?" Red asked with a twinge of attitude. "Nothing", Skyler started, "It's just that between you saying that now and the ass-kicking you gave me earlier, I can't help but wonder who you are..." he trailed off. "What do you mean _'who I am'_?" Red asked, confused. "You know, like, where you've come from. Why your Charizard can channel power directly from Ho-oh. That sorta thing", Skyler finished with a tense laugh. Red sighed. He wondered how much he could answer without telling Skyler that he was, in fact, a three-region Champion. "Well", Red began, "I'm from Pallet Town in Kanto and I was given Charizard as a Charmander from Professor Oak – you may have heard of him. We started our journey together and we've just kept moving forward since". Red hoped that would quell Skyler's curiosity, but Skyler pushed further. "So how long have you two been together exactly?" he enquired. "How long have you been on your journey?" Red sighed again. Taking a deep breath, he answered Skyler with resignation "Fifteen years".

Skyler's jaw hit the floor. _"FIFTEEN YEARS?"_ Skyler repeated loudly, his words echoing throughout the mountain. "How old _are_ you?!" he asked with incredulity. "Twenty-five", Red answered. _'Twenty five?!'_ Skyler mouthed, words having appeared to have escaped his lips. Red watched with slight amusement as the expression of Skyler's face warped from shock and disbelief to stunned amazement in the glow of Magmar's and Charizard's flames. After a few minutes, the impact of this new information seemed to have finally settled as Skyler offered a hearty handshake to Red. "No wonder I didn't beat you, then!" he laughed. "I was battling someone who's Kanto's answer to Cynthia!" he laughed again. Red didn't know who Cynthia was, but he assumed she was a powerful trainer, too. Helping Red to his feet, Skyler apologised for ambushing him and for forcing him into battle despite Red's protests that it was okay. Though he did suggest they find their way to Celestic Town quickly before something else happened to either one of them or their Pokémon. Skyler concurred. And with that, the two of them pressed onwards, disappearing into the shadow of the mountain.


	6. Chapter V

They had been walking for quite a while now – Red felt he had severely underestimated the sheer expanse of Mount Coronet; over rocks, under stalactites, past pools of stagnant water – it was another world. As such, Red also realised that he wouldn't have even been able to guess the way through, so he considered Skyler a blessing, regardless of how cold it was. A cold that was, thankfully, lessened by the heat of Skyler's Magmar; Red must he would have succumbed to hypothermia if not for the Pokémon's efforts.  
As they progressed, there was a noticeable breeze blowing in their direction, and not just a typical cave chill. Working from experience, Red asked a question: "Are we nearly there?" "Yes, actually", Syler replied, "How did you know?" "Call it intuition", Red laughed to himself. "Fair enough", Skyler returned and the conversation ended. Skyler had become rather tacit ever since his discovering of Red's past. Red wondered why, but it wasn't something he wanted to pursue whilst they were still navigating through the icy darkness, so he decided to ask once he could feel his fingers again

They walked further still until light began to appear ahead of them, glistening on the dampness of the rocks and illuminating the path before them. "Is it daylight already?" Red asked confusedly, eyeing the tracts of light. "Nah, it's just the torches. Celestic Town doesn't rely as heavily on electricity as Eterna City does so they place torches both inside and outside entrance. Someone comes along of an evening and lights them all for those stupid enough to walk through the mountain at night". That was a deliberate jibe, Red thought, but he chose to let it go for the sake of actually staying alive. As they ambled towards the mouth of the cave, Red could begin to make out the odd tree, illuminated by the torches as were the rocks around him. He began to pick up pace, wanting nothing more than to escape the frosty void, Charizard following suit.

After what seemed like an eternity, Red and Skyler finally found themselves beyond the mountain. Red took several deeps breaths of the warm forest air. Turning to Charizard, he gestured for him to return to his Pokéball – Charizard complied. He was then addressed by Skyler; "So do you think you can get to Celestic Town by yourself? Or do you want me to show you the way there, too?" Skyler's attitude this time did not sit well with Red, and he made it clear. "Have I upset you or something?" Red half demanded. "Have I said or done something to offend you? Because you've been really standoffish since I told you I'd been travelling for years. Is that it? Or are you sore over me beating you?" Red's chagrin took Skyler completey by surprise. "W-what? No! I mean, I didn't think I'd lose but I'm not mad or anything!" "Are you sure?" Red shot back, "Because this is the second time you've made a jab at me and I don't deserve it". The two Trainers looked at each other with determination until Skyler was worn down under Red's piercing gaze. "Okay. Alright. I'm sorry. You're right – I was being a dick", he confessed. Red's annoyance waned slightly. "It's just that I've never been beaten before. And I was angry at myself for challenging you without knowing who you were because – _believe_ me – I wouldn't have if I knew". He sounded sincere, Red thought, so he decided to give Skyler the benefit of the doubt. "Okay", Red began, "I can understand that. I know how it feels to break a winning streak". Skyler eyed Red curiously. "Really?" "Really". Skyler wanted to know more, but he figured it was too late in the day to be having that kind of conversation, so he offered Red a further apology; "Listen. I'll take you to the Pokémon Centre is Celestic Town. It's the least I can do after being a dick to you". Red took him up on that offer despite his better judgement. _'Never lost a battle'_ he mused. _'At least I'm not Green...'_ Red chuckled to himself as they continued on their way.


	7. Chapter VI

The final stretch to Celestic Town was short and without incident. Skyler wasn't exaggerating when he said the townspeople didn't rely much on electricity; the only lights Red could see were that of the Pokémon Centre. Not that any others were needed – the landscape was bathed in starlight, making navigation as easy as if it was day. Red made a mental note to appreciate the sky on another night as he was fighting a primal urge to sleep. As they neared the Pokémon Centre, Red mad an observation: "Why is it so big?" "What do you mean?" Skyler asked in tandem. "It's another two floors taller than any I've seen here. Why?" "Oh, because it doubles up as a kind of hotel. There isn't any public accommodation here. Which is odd considering it's somewhat of a tourist attraction. Around this time of year, anyway. I suppose that's _why_ the Centre is the way it is – it saves blotting the town with modernism". Red listened as Skyler mused, noticing that there did seem to be an awful lot of history here; anything remotely contemporary would indeed shatter the image.

Soon they found themselves outside the Pokémon Centre and Skyler bid Red goodbye, apologising once again for his curtness. With farewells exchanged, Red entered the building and made his way keenly to the reception desk.  
The trek through Mount Coronet has began to take effect on Red. Battling with the overwhelming desire to curl into a ball and hibernate, he asked the receptionist if there were any rooms available. Fortunately – and to Red's delight – there were. "We've got two on the second floor and three on the first. You're very lucky! Usually we're fully accommodated during festival time". Red made a noise he hoped sounded like relief. "What's the difference between the rooms?" he asked. "Size, primarily", the receptionist answered, "But there are several extra luxuries afforded to the upper rooms". Red made his decision.

After registering at the reception and another bout of _"You're not THE Red, are you? Kanto Champion?"_ , Red eagerly and without delay rode the elevator up to the second floor of the Pokémon Centre. _'Room 493'_ Red thought to himself, _'Please let it be a circular corridor'_. Exiting the elevator and looking for a directive sign, he was pleased to see that the rooms had been divided into segments and his was only seven doors down to the right. Moving as fast as he could with what little energy he had left, Red greedily fed the card key to the electronic lock and burst inside the room. The sight that greeted him was nothing short of divine in his weary and weakened state; a queen-size bed. Staggering over to the bed, he dropped his bad to the floor and collapsed upon the sheets. No sooner had his head hit the pillows did he fall asleep. The night had been long, the road had been longer and whether Red woke up the next day or ever again was to be decided.


	8. Chapter VII

It was morning again. The depth of Red's sleep was met by his unwillingness to open his eyes or, indeed, move; but life, it seemed, had other plans. Despite the Red attempting to hold on to the grasp of unconsciousness, his efforts were sullied by an almighty crash from outside his hotel room window. Awake and alarmed, Red leaped out of bed to see what caused such a terrible noise. He opened the curtains and was shocked and confused to find something resembling a totem pole lying in the middle of the street below. People around were also noticeably shocked; a few, it appeared, having narrowly missed being crushed to death. Some were also shouting, but Red couldn't hear what they were saying due primarily to the ringing in his ears. Deafened and irritated, he recalled the night's events; conquering Mount Coronet and cheating death, he made a mental note to go a few months before attempting any mountaineering again. Red was surprised that it was actually the morning after and not the following day – he felt like he'd been hibernating, with a coarse headache and a snarling stomach: Red couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten anything. Red wondered if there was an eatery in the building to save him having to go outdoors; _'There has to be, right? If it's a hotel? Pokémon Centre or not. Or, better yet, room service?!'_ His last thought brought a hopeful smile to his stomach. Moving over to the telephone, he lifted the receiver and dialled reception. "Hello, Front Desk", a man answered. "Hello! I'm in room four-nine-three. I only arrived last night and didn't have much time to ask, but do you provide room service?" Red was startled by the sheer politeness in his voice. "Indeed we do, sir. Yes" the clerk replied. "What is it we might do for you?" Red did an internal back flip. "Is there a breakfast option?" Red enquired enthusiastically. "There is yes, but I'm afraid the breakfast menu is recalled after eleven a.m." Red's back flip flopped. Between the commotion outside and his primal urge to eat, Red hadn't noticed the time. But the clerk saved Red from complete disappointment: "But the lunch menu opens in twenty minutes. Might I take an order for you?" "Yes, you can!" Red belted down the phone, his eagerness having gotten the better of him. "Sorry about that", he began, "I just haven't had a decent meal in a while" he laughed nervously. "It's quite alright", the clerk replied, obviously shaken by Red's outburst, "But if that's the case, might I recommend the Continental Platter? It exhibits delicacies from many different regions". _'Sounds good to me'_ Red thought. "Oh, please!" he squeaked, accepting the clerk's recommendation. "Very good, sir. I will place your requisition now. Room four-nine-three, you say?" "Yes!" Red answered keenly. "Very well. It should be with you within an hour and we will reflect it on your bill. Thank you for your service". "No, thank _you_ " Red returned, and with that he hung up the phone.

With food on its way and with nothing else planned, Red decided to clean himself – wash away the trials of the mountain. He entered the bathroom and began to run the bath; water surged into the ice white tub, splashing him a little. He had nowhere to be and nothing to do, so he was going to take his time and have a nice, relaxing soak and not a blitz wash like he did in Eterna City.  
Minutes passed and the bathtub was full, so Red undressed and lowered himself into the sparkling water, the small ripples gently caressing his skin has he did. Red looked at the bathroom clock: 11:43. He had plenty of time. Immersing himself into the depth of the tub, he closed his eyes and allowed the mercy of the hot water to consume him.

Red was awoken by another loud and concussive noise: the bathroom door bursting open and bouncing off the tiles behind it. Startled, worried and naked, he nearly wet himself when he was suddenly in the company of a two security guards. "What the Hell is going on here?!" Red demanded with shock. "Are you the only occupant in this room?" one of the guards asked in a deep voice. "Yes", Red answered, confused "Why? What's wrong?" Both guards looked at each other, the other answered; "We were told a call came from this room several hours ago for room service, but when it arrived no one answered the door. Several calls were made to this room thereafter and, again, no one answered. So we were sent here to see if there was an issue". Red turned a deep crimson. "I am so sorry", he began, "I must have fallen asleep in the bath". "Obviously", one guard replied – the other laughed. Red let out a laugh-esque sigh. "I'm sorry", he repeated, "It was a very long night for me last night so I guess it caught up with me". The guards looked at each other again. "Well there was no harm done and there's no issue here, so we'll go. But next time I suggest you wait for what you ordered before you try and do another SS Cactus impression!". Red laughed weakly as the guards turned to leave. "Could you shut the door on your way out, please?" he asked, hoping he wasn't pushing his luck. He received no reply, but the second guard did so as he left.  
Still sitting in the bath, the adrenaline from this encounter began wearing off and Red began to feel the cold of the water. First gradually, then all at once. Hating himself, he quickly stood up and exited the bathtub, cursing Mount Coronet with every other word. He walked over to the bathroom mirror and looked at his reflection. _'Fucking Hell...'_ he thought. To say he looked a little worse for wear would be an understatement; his hair was matted and his skin was wrinkled – he looked like a Pinap Berry. Hating himself even more, he dragged himself back into the bedroom and collapsed upon the bed again. _'I am a complete fucking idiot!'_ he screamed internally. His appearance notwithstanding, he felt like his stomach had begun eating itself. Too ashamed to try room service again, he chose to find elsewhere to eat. Barely drying himself and arguing with his clothes as he tried to force them over his damp body, Red finally upped and left the room, avoiding eye contact with anyone and everyone as he left.

Red had reserved the room for as long as was necessary, so he didn't have to worry about being evicted from his room, thankfully. _'It's just as well'_ he thought _'If nothing else, I can just check out and never come back ever again'_. He was still reeling from embarrassment – he hoped he didn't come into contact with those two security guards again. Life, however, was cruel, and both of them were standing ahead of him in the foyer, right by the exit. Red noticed them and prayed they wouldn't notice him as he neared the door, but it was not to be. "Hey, there! I didn't recognise you dry!" one laughed as the other joined in. Red gave a feeble smile, hoping he could teleport and save himself more ridicule. The guards seemed to take some pity, however, as they said nothing more as Red briskly exited the building. Walking as fast as he could without looking like he'd been paralyzed, he stopped to rest as soon as he was out of sight of the Pokémon Centre. Taking a deep breath, he looked around to see if there was anywhere he could satiate the voracity now burning in his stomach.

He walked a little further as he searched, spying a clock tower and noting the time: 1:14 pm.  
He tracked the tower down with his eyes and noticed a café sitting snugly beneath the brick and mortar. Smiling to himself, Red crossed the road and made his way happily over to the place. _'"Celestic Selections"... Cute'_ he chuckled to himself _.  
_ Red opened the door and greedily spied the concession stand, which was covered in an assortment of the sweet and savoury. The queue wasn't that long either, so Red eagerly joined the back of it. There was a menu on the wall above the service counter and he began looking for something that would slake his hunger. Reading through, he settled on something called 'Combee Special'; a dessert of sorts, apparently. Shuffling closer to the counter, he mentally prepared his order, adding a hot drink to it in the process. Finally facing the barista, he told her what he wanted. "Is there anything else?" she asked. "No, thank you", Red smiled at her. "Okay then, we'll bring it over to you as soon as it's ready". "Thank you", Red smiled again. He paid for his order then moved to sit at a table near the window and stared into the street, letting the time go by.

His absent-mindedness was interrupted by the same barista bringing him his order. "Oh, thank you", he began, "Sorry – I was spaced out". "Don't worry about it", she giggled, turning and walking away.  
It didn't take very long for Red to eat – it was barely three bites big in is primal desire to feed. But he found himself feeling remarkably sluggish as he sat there with a gut full of honey-based confections. _'That's probably why'_ he mused. He turned his head back to the window, watching the people and Pokémon go by.  
"Excuse me", came a voice. Red turned to face it. It was the barista again. "I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but I can't help but feel like I know you. Have we ever met?" "Yeah", Red replied, "Twenty minute ago over there", he gestured to the counter. She laughed. "No. I mean have we ever met before? Because I swear I know you". Red began to cringe. Being the Kanto Champion – being the _Johto_ and _Hoenn_ Champion – he was very well televised; a lot of people knew who he was in one way or another. Whilst he enjoyed certain perks of his title, Red was very withdrawn when it came to public recognition. As such, he tried his best to dissuade the woman in front of him. "N-no, I don't think so" he stammered, "I've only been in this town for a day. Less than that even, aha", he laughed awkwardly. "Oh. Okay. I'm sorry" she returned, walking away again, but not without a backwards glance. Red exhaled.

Time passed again, and suddenly Red felt slightly uneasy. He looked around to see the majority of the people in the café staring at him. Red felt his face beginning to burn. Not wanting to be part of or - more presumptively - _be_ a spectacle, he moved to leave. His efforts were halted, however, by another woman who asked him the question he wanted so desperately to avoid: "Are you Red?" He took a sharp breath. Considering selling a formative lie, he knew that it wouldn't make for much of a smokescreen, so he resigned himself to his fate. "Yes", he answered with an acquiescent breath. Red felt everyone's sphincters clench.


End file.
